Well screen



Nov. 1, 1932. c. E. RECORDS WELL SCREEN Filed Nov. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1, 1932. c. E. RECORDS WELL SCREE N Filed Nov. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm QA-Tfscoeas Nov. 11, 1932., c, RECORDS 1,886,123

WELL SCREEN Filed Nov. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet s ("will gwumtoz diffs-ape;

NOV, 1, 1932. c E RECQRDS 1,886,121

' WELL SCREEN Filed Nov. 4, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwwmtoz "Seize woii.

Patented N v. 1, 1932 Agaoiioooloza flied Hovom'osa Q, 39%. Serial Ho.

primal objos s of i Q haveniisrsfoso, is iii-s provision o 41121619 up of iongiiudinoiiy oars each pofiicuioriy iomiofi 43o pso'vici-s for? 33m goossogo oi- Waior io'e t'woeo tsizom, with tho oi iemoio oars so ioioiivoiy arioiigoci as $30 insure ogainsi: oiioizimg of soroaio i3}; time iiioerio mociium.

A 'ilii'ililfi? o joci oi"- 'iiilfl present invention is inhe provision of a screen oozwotoioimy do sigmoii for tins opgoiioaiion iiioreio of "woven war-o mosh ioioimng wail ii-old in spaced =ro= ioizion to the semen proper and dosigooci io gorovioio for iii-s apoiicoiziom oi a. posiionim" simwm of medium iioiswoon the screen proper smi woven wire woii prior so the iniiociucizion o f the sosoozi iooo Woii siminors as heretofore consiruotoci, in m ieost a majority of the pracizioai uses, hows been mocio up of rino-iiks oiomenis mountori in suporimposieo 3 ad roiotion and formefi on their meeting aces with iiio waiver entrance openings. Those rings have been found to be somewhat xiisadvootagoous primarily in that they rovioieci projections in the path of she drecigmg iooi and a conseueni; iiabiiity of breakage ciuriog iho use of t o iooi.

A further oiwjoois of the present invention is the rovision of a screen of this mooio up of independent bars ossomiaiod in soroon form, Wit-i1 iii-o Tom's extending iongiimiinaiiy of bile sore-e31 to iheroby ovoid projooizioios in of iiio dzodging iooi and iims miniany iamakogo incident iso the cirscigmg operation.

The invonizion is iiiusim'ioci in time oooom= pa nying drawings, in whioii:

Figure 1 is a View is oievoiion poi oiy in section; showio izho improved screen Figure 2 is a iOiOkQH section on iino %2 of l' imiro a broizon section on iizoo 3--% oi s o top piozo of iiio sorosn psopor, s a broken vertioai soc'izionoi vi-ow the roi'oining ring for hoiding iii o on oars iii piocoond iiiLsS'i? "aiing P&ii7ii3il on SUlCil for moiiiioin- E1 the rapes i a I "ivoiy orijoooni; bars in iiioir mopor mi two oosiiions.

Figaro 6 is a broken pi -ii View Tp&l$if,7 in

section, iiiosiroiing time soioicion oi: the iiiig and sooosn boss,

Figaro is on oniorgod vorisiooi sooioionoi View iiiustmting more poriiouisriy "Taiio mm "for feeding or oiiior oiooning iiiiid iiie iiitoringg moriiom.

Figure 8 is gzoroosoizivo View of ono of too sczoeozo Figaro 9 is a simo'iar viow of snot-Foo! of iziao screen boss Fi re 10 is o, verticoi sooiion oi tho sot-eon showing a mociifieci form oi oonsiruoiion.

Figure 11 is a bi'okon top pian View of such modifiod form.

Figure 12 is a iarokon pian of tho iower ring of such mofiiiioci form;

The improved screen is made up of two 'sets of bars, hereinafter referred to as a outer bar 1 ami an inner bar 2, In outline the res sembled, an annular wall defining the screen. I

The annular screen wall thus formed is to be designed, of course, to ermit the passage of water therethrough while still functioning as a screen and the respective bars 1 and 2 are so formed that when associated to provide a screen wall, they will afford the maximum water opening between them as a direct result of the sectional form of each bar, the openin resulting from this formation being particu arl designed to avoid choking or lling by t e surroundin filtering medium- The transverse sectiona form or outline of tive bars 1 and 2 is somewhat similar, di ering, however, in the relation of the shoulders, as plainly seen in Figure 2. The relation of these shoulders and corresponding outline form parts of the respective bars is designed to avoid having any portion of the water inlet s ace between the bars formed with parallel wa ls, as the openin throughout in any articular length of sue o ning is refera ly arranged so that the walis of such on h are either conver ing or diverging.

he relatively outer aces 3 and 4 of the respective bars 1 and 2, instead of being curved coincident with the normal curvature of the wall of the screen, form a plain flat surface, the direction of which is tangent to the curve which would otherwise pass through the central radial line of the bar if the wall were curved. By this provision of a plain flat outer surface, the bars are constructed to permit a gang casting instead of the individual casting that would be required if the outer surface was curved to conform to the curvature of the screen. This is, of course, a manufacturing expedient leading to economy and while desirable and important, is not intended to indicate a particular limitation in connection with the form of this outer surface.

The outer portion of each of the bars 1 and 2 is, for an a preciable length of such bar considered ra iall of the screen, of a width which, considered circumferentially of the screen, is equal to that of the outer face; that is to say, each bar has an outer marginal portion 5 and 6 respectively which is equal in width to that of the outer face .and of appreciable depth radially of the bar, this margin being hereinafter termed the head portion of the bar.

Inwardly of the head portion, each bar is formed with inwardly inclined shoulders 7 and 8 respectively, these shoulders being at a somewhat abrupt angle and their surfaces being either lain or rounded. At the inner terminal of t e shoulders 7 and 8, the'respective bars present converging surfaces 9 and 10 respectively, these converging surfaces being at an angle to the radial line of the bar and merging at their inner ends into more or less rounded narrow edges 11 and 12 re spectivelywhich define the inner surface of t e screen.

At an appropriate point in its length and at I each end, each bar is formed in sectional outline to present an area which is commensurate with the full' circumferential space occupied by the bar; that is to say, each bar has a projection beyond each normal side wall 9 and 10 respectively, with such projections, indicated at 13 for the end pro ection and 14 for the intermediate projection, presenting abutments which will insure surface contact between the abutments in the radial arrangement of the bar. Thus, throughout the area of the abutmcnts, the side walls of the bars are in actual contact, thus serving to position the bars relative to each other and insuring that the inward pressure of the surroundin filtering medium will more or less assist in olding the bars in their proper circumferential relation to provide the desired screen wall.

As previously stated, the radial length of the outer bar 1 is greater than that of the inner bar 2 and through the medium utilized for holding the bars in position, as will later appear, the bars'a-re held with their inner edges 11 and 12 in circumferential alignment, as indicated in Figure 2, and it is apparent that the outer faces 3 and 4 of the rcspectively adjacent bars are disposed in offset circumferential planes. As the bars 1 and 2 alternate in making up the screen wall, it is thus a parent that so far as the outer surface 0 the'screen is concerned, it is made up of spaced outer margins defined by the faces 3 of the bars 1 and intermediate and radially inset margins defined by the outer faces 4 of the bars 2. Of course, in this arrangement the abutments 13 and 14 are in contact and maintain the formed surfaces ofthe bars above and below the abutments in proper spaced relation to provide the screen openin s. a

is will be clear from Fi ure 2, it is apparent that through the re ative radial dimensions of the bars, the outer faces 4 of the bars 2 are disposed inwardly, radially considered, of the shoulders 7 of the bars 1. Thusfthere is a vertical space 15 in the outer surface of the screen between each of the bars 1, which space communicates with passages 16 which are directed almost circumferentiall of the wall of the screen and are defined by t e outer faces 4 of the bars 2 and the shoulders 7 of the bars 1. The s ace 16 commu'nicates with the inwardly directed and continually increasing channels 17 defined by the walls 9 of the bars 1 and the walls 10 of the bars 2, these channels 17, by reason of the inclination of the walls defining them, be-

ing of increased area inwardly of the screen ing these chann s.

wall. It will thus be seen that the channels are nowhere defined by parallel walls but in every instance by either conver ing or. diverging walls, thereby facilitating t e passage of the water without liability of chok- It is, of course, to be, understood that the bars 1 and 2 extend longitudinally, .that is vertically, of the screen and that it is essential that means he provided for uniting the upper and lower ends of these bars, particularly where a plurality of sets of bars are associated in endwise relation to form a screen having a length greater than that of any one-integral bar. in assembling the bars to make up a screen including more than one length of bar, there is provided upper and lower semi: circular ring sections 18 and 19. These ring sections, which are associated in superimposed relation to provide a holding ring, are

semicircular in form and are connected.

through the medium of bolts 20 passing through oflset cars 21 in each ring section, so that each half of each ring section may be united into a more or less clamping ring by suitable tightening of the bolts.

The contacting faces of the respective ring sections are formed for mating cooperation; that is to say, one of the sections will be formed with a projection22 to seat in a de pression 23 in the other section to prevent lateral separation or the sections. Each section is formed for cooperation with each bar and for this purpose each ring section is formed on its inner vertical edge, in proper relation to cooperate with the bars, with a projection 24. This projection is particularl formed to coo crate with either the outer ars 1 or inner are 2 and inthat cooperation to hold the respective bars in their proper radially ofi'setrelation; that is to say, each projection 24 is formed with a comparatively wide portion 25 immediately adjacent the inner edge of the bar and with a narrower portion 26 projecting from the inner marginal edge of the wider portion 25, The depth, considered radially, of the ring of the raider projection 25 is equal to the distance of radial olfset of the respective bars in assembled relation. The outer face of the respective bars in that portion with which'the ring cooperates are formed with recesses, the. outer face 3 of the bar 1 being formed with a recess 27 to more orless accurately receive the wider projection 25,-while the outer -face 4 of the bar 2 is formed with a recess 28' to more or less .accurately receive the narrower projection result, the meeting faces of the respective 1 ring sections are formed with recesses 29 opening through the meeting faces and through the end walls of the sections; These recesses, when the meeting faces are assembled, form a closed channel in which is seated a bar 30 fixed in place by solder or other holding medium 81, with the bar 30 of a material not affected by the acid, so that the bar will serve to hold the sections in ring-forming gellation, notwithstanding the failureof the 0 ts. i

It is a characteristics-feature of the present screen that means may be associated with the screen properfor assembling the innermost filtering medium, immediately surrounding the screen proper, prior to the introduction of the screen into the well. These filtering mediums, usually in the form of large pebbles and the like, are arranged to surround the bars of the screen and form the innermost filtering medium for the incoming water. To provide for this application of the filtering medium, a cylindrical body 32 is arranged to be connected ,to the screen proper and supported thereby. This cylindrical body, whichmay be of appropriate woven material, is of course of greater diameter than the external diameter of the screen proper, providing a space 33 between such screen proper and the cylindrical body for the reception of the filtering medium.

To provide for connecting this cylindrical body, the lower anduppcr rings are formed wvith diametrically opposed external projections 3% over which the cylindrical body 32 is fitted and to which it is removably secured form a ledge or flange 36 which closes the bottom of the cylindrical body, so that when the parts are assembled, there is formed between the cylindrical body and the screen proper an annular space of predetermined radial dimensions in which the desired filtering medium may be introduced before the screen is lowered into the well.

As previously stated, the accepted method now generally practiced of cleaning the filtering medium is by the introduction of acid from the top of the Well into such medium to destroy the material accumulated between thefiltering medium in the passage of the water therethrough. The present screen lends itself most conveniently to the prodllc vision of means for introducing thiscleansing acid into the filtering medium without the necessity of withdrawing the pump or otherwise disturbing any of the parts of the pumpingassembly.

For this purpose, the pro'ections 34' to which the filtering medium holding cylindriT cal element 32 is secured are formed for the reception of pipes 37, as at 38, the upper and intermediate rings having opemngs 38 through-which the pipes may be passed and in which they are heldagainst lateral displacement, whilethe lower ring is formed with a blind openin in which the lower end of the pi is sea and in which it may be removab y secured in any desired manner. The pipe 37 within the range of the screen proper is formed with openings 39through which the acid may be delivered to the filtering medium. The upper ring of the screen pro r is formed for thereception of a pipe 40 w ich may extend to the top of the well for the introduction of the acid. The upper ring of the screen is also formed with a cored circumferential passage 41 with which 1 the lower end of the pipe 40 communicatesto provide for the connection of other acid delivery tubes where such may be found necessary. It is of course to be understood that the upper and lower rings of the screen are formed for the reception of these additional pipes, 80 that a plurality of pipes-for the acid or other treating material may be disposed within the screen proper and all of these pipes served by a single delivery pipe leading to the top of. the well, as at 40. i

The bars 1 and-2 of the screen proper extend longitudinally of the screen and thus form a clear, uninterrupted passage for the movement of the dredging tool and avoiding the possibility of such tool engaging any por-v tion of the screen, thus avoiding the liability of breakage. The material of the screen parts are preferably constructed of material which will not be affected by the acid, for example of 7 cast iron, though obviously other noncorroding metals may be used.

The material of the cylindrical mesh ele -ment 32 for holding the filtering medium is wholly unimportant; in fact, th s element is primarily designed to facilitate the introducin the well; in fact, it is rather desirable that it be destroyed to avoid interference. Hence it is preferred that this filtering medium holding element of a material which will readily rust away or be destroyed by the cleaning ch micals though this is not an essential fr :.ture of the present invention.

In forming the well, the well casing 42 may be sunk to the desired depth and the well,

through the water-bearing sand, will be constructed by commonly known methods, such as the rota seal Process or by drawing the casing 42 ack or the desired distance. After the screen with its encircling filtering medium of comparatively large pebbles, indivertical and extending practicallythroughout the entire length of the screen, afford a maximum amount of space through which the water can flow and the space 15 formed by the relatively different radial lengths of the respectively adjacent bars forms a pocket for receiving'the water with the minimum amount of interference from the filtering medium pebbles 43. There is thus formed an effective filtering of the incoming water without the liability of the filtering medium choking or interferin with the free passage of the water through t e screen proper.

The improved screen, when constructed as described, provides the maximum water-inlet opening with least liability of choking b the surrounding filtering mediums; avoi s any ible obstruction to the movement of the redging tool by reason of the longitudinal disposition of the bars making up the screen; provides as an assembled part of the screen a medium through which the acid or other cleaning chemical may be readily introduced into the filtering" medium without withdrawingthe pum assembly; and provides a means by whic the filtering medium immediately surrounding the screen may be assembled with the screen before the lowering of thelatter into the well.

Of course, the screen may be made of any length by the use of the tin described for connecting the adjacent'en s of the screen bars, and when so associated, the screen proper, no matter what its len h, is a compara -tively rigid association 0 parts which may be introduced into and withdrawn from the well as a unit, with practically no liability of obstructionror interference.

In Fi res 10, 11 and 12 there is illustrated a modi cation of the construction previousl described in that provision is made in whic the screen may be made to accommodate the use of surrounding areas of filtering elements of two difierent sizes. This of course necessitates the provision of an additional element for maintaining the one filtering medium separated from the other during the arr ment of these-filtering mediums about e of the rim g.

The lower ring 50, otherwise identicalwith the lower ring of the preferred form, is also provided or formed with annular ribs 51 concentric with the axis of the screen and, when the screen is assembled, disposed in vertical alignments with the ribs 49 of the blocks 47. The outer filtering medium retaining body, which is in the form of a woven mesh cylinder 52, is secured at its respective ends to the blmlzs 4'2 and to the lower ring 50, the screws or threaded rods 48 serving to hold the upper end of the woven mesh cylinder while the lower end is secured by screws 53, as in the preferred form. An intermediate cylinder 54: is, in the modified form, arranged inwardly of and in spaced relation to the meshcylinder 52, the upper edge of the mesh cylinder 54 being held between the ribs 49 of the blocks 47 while its lower edge is held between the ribs 51 of the lower ring 50.

As thus arranged, the respective concentric mesh'cylinders provide spaces 55 and 56 surrounding the screen proper, the space 55 being designed for the reception of filtering medium in the form of large pebbles, as indicated at 57, while the space 56, which is that included between the mesh cylinders 52 and 54, is designed f-ortlie reception of a filtering medium in the form of smaller pebbles, indicated at 58. The upper ends of the respective mesh bodies are, except for the blocks 47 and radial rojections 46, fully open to permit the intro uction of these pebbles.

Distinctive layers of filtering medium involvingtwo different sizes of pebbles may thus be arranged v to surround the screen proper prior to the introduction of the screen into the well, and following this introduction it is of course apparent that the respective filtering areas will remain substantially intact and it is therefore immaterial as to whether the mesh cylinders are eventually destroyed by corrosion or otherwise.

i It is of course apparent that the inner mesh body is only important for the purpose of maintaining the division of the respectlve filtering mediums during their application and that if it is desired to remove this screen body 54 prior to the introduction of the screen into the well, it will not be necessary to arrange the blocks 47 in place until ust prior to the introduction of the screen into the well, for the application of the respective mesh bodies 52 and 54 will be held by the lower ring in appropriate spaced relation, and after the introduction of the filter- These blocks are formed on their lower surfaces with spaced ribs 49 arranged in a plane concentric with the axis ing mediums of different sizes, the inner mesh cylinder 54 may be merely lifted from its position on the lower ring and withdrawn, as the outer mesh body 52 and the layer of smaller pebbles inwardly of this mesh body will hold the layer of larger pebbles 1n lace. After the withdrawal of the'i'ncsh body 54, if desired, the-blocks 47 may be socured in place and the upper end of the mesh body 52 secured to such block in order to maintain the assembly intact during the handlin of the screen.

v at is claimed to be new is:

1. A well screen including vertically arranged bars assembled in circumferential relation and in partial contact to form a single cylindrical screen wall bars being respective ly formed beyond the points of contact to provide a water passage between them, certain of the bars being horizontally offset with respect to the-remaining bars to provide water receiving. pockets in the outer surface of the screen.

2. A well screen made up of vertically dis posed bars associated to form an annular screen wall, said bars being spaced apart throughout the greater portion of their lengths to provide water passages, the remaining portions of each of the bars being projected beyond those portions defining the water passages to provide contacting parts to hold the bars in spaced position and in circumferential relation, certain of the bars being horizontally offset with respect to the remaining bars to provide water-receiving pockets in the outer surface of the screen.

3. A well screen made up of vertically arranged bars, each formed to present flat outer faces and converging inner walls, ea ch of the bars being formed with contacting abutmeuts serving to maintain the converging inner walls above and below the abutments in spaced relation, certain of the bars being horizontally offset with respect to the remaining bars to provide waterercceiving pockets in the outer surface of the screen.

4. A well screen made up of vertically arranged bars in circumferential alignment to form an annular Wall, each of the bars being formed with abutments in contact, the bars above and below the abutments presenting converging side walls and plain outer faces,

the inner faces of the bars being in substan tially circumferential alignment, the outer faces of the bars being in offset circumferential planes to provide water receiving pockets.

5. A well screen made up of vertically arranged bars formed at appropriate and similar points with contacting abutments, the I being of less radial length than the remain- .comprising an approfiliate len ing bars to form water pockets in the outer surface of the screen.

6. A well screen made up of vertical bars associated and formed to provide water passages between them, rings uniting the meeting ends of the bars, said rings being formed with inwardly extendin projections to seat in recesses in the bars, the respective projections and recesses being formed to ofiset certain of the bars with respect to the remaining bars to form pockets in the outer surface of the screen. a 7. A cylindrical well screen made up of vertical bars in radial arrangement, the bars being formed and associated to provide water passages between them, a ring uniting the meeting ends of the bars, said ring being formed with means to interfit with the bars and being constructed of semicircular superimposed sections, means for clamping the sections together, and bars seating in recesses in the meeting ends of the sections to unite the sections against'displacement.

8. A cylindrical well screen made up of each abutment having a dimension substantially equal to the transverse dimension of the outer face throughout the transverse length of the inwardl conver ing walls of the bar.

12. A cylind iical we 1 screen including radially disposed bars formed. with water passages between them, rings uniting the bars, a pluralitf of mesh filtering medium supporting e ements encircling the bars, and means carried by the rings for securing the respective filtering medium supporting elements in concentric spaced relatlon.

In testimon whereof I afiix circumferentiallgedisposed bars formed with water passages tween them, certain of the bars being offset with respect to the remaining bars toform Water pockets in the outer surface of the screen, rin unitingthe meeting ends of the bars, an a cylindrical element secured to the rings in spaced relation to the bars to provide for the reception of a filtering medium to directly overlie the water pockets. 7'

9. A cylindrical well screen made up of vertically arranged bars arranged in circumferential relation and formed to provide water pass as between them, certain of the bars being *0 set with respect to the remaining bars to form water pockets in the outer surface of the screen, and rings uniting the meeting ends of the bars, said rings bein formed beyond the bars for the reception 0 a perforated pipe to distribute cleaning chemicals into the space outside the bars.

10. A cylindrical well screen made u of verticalbars in radial arrangement, said ars being formed to provide water channels be-. tween them and relatively disposed to provide water pockets in the outer surface of the screen a cylindrical element secured to and carried by the bars and spaced therefrom for the me tion of afiltering medium, and achemical distributing pipe connected to and movable with the bars and extending longitudinally of the screen between the bars and said cylindrical element. L

' 11. A bar for the formation of well screens, h ofp solid material resentin a t'outer' ace, inward- 1y extendin shoul ers'inwardly pfsuch face,

and inwa y converging walls inwardly of the shoulders, each of said bars havingabutments spaced longitudinally thereof between sections of the'inwardly converging walls,

m si ature. HESTER 'E'; nn co'ii ns. 

